Thanks for the tips. I am actually doing the scanning and retouching in Linux Mint. I use the SANE driver on an Epson Perfection 1660 Photo scanner (which is great BTW) and then do the color/retouching work in good ol Photoshop 6 running under WINE.

While I do think you are right, I have already gotten so far along this set that I'll probably have to incorporate your suggestion in my next set.

On that note, where is the right place to ask for suggestions on my next set to scan? I have a lot of Bob G's mags from 74 - 95. If I don't have it, I will scan it if someone sends it to me.

Got one more tip for you :
I've noticed on occasion that pictures printed in magazines from the 70s and 80s have their quarter tones (i.e. the tones between midtones and highlights) cranked way up.
This was probably due to the printer ( i.e. the person doing the actual printing of the magazine ) attempting to brighten the picture.
In these cases my attempts to colour correct initially did not produce the desired result. Especially in the skintones the individual colours seemed to refuse to blend together (e.g. separated red and green dots). It wasn't until (after a lot of fiddling around) I pulled down the quarter tones of the master curve that things suddenly came together and I ended up with a good result.